Oscillating electric fan.



H. S. BRGWN. OSUILLATING- ELECTRIC FAN. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 10, 1905.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

erases EPArh T church.

iiiiiuzsar STANLEY BROWN, or NEwYoRK, N. Y. I

OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN.

Specification of Letters Iatentr I Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed August 10, 1905. Serial No. 273,550.

siding in New York city, borough. of Mam hat-tan, New York, have invented certain new useful Improvements in Oscillating Electric l ans, of which the following. is a.

specification.

object of my'invention is to provide simple and efficient means for causing oscil lation of an electric fair of the class wherein the oscillation is caused mainly by ieason of back pressure ;roduced by the alrcurrents prppelled by tlile rot ative blades.

in carrying out my. invention I provide an electric fan having a motor and rotative blades, and attach the fan to afleztible support that is pivotally carried,.and I provide.

means for tilting said support more or less with respect to the vertical, whereby as the fan blades rotate said support will oscillate by reason of the support bending from side to side as will be more fully hereinafter ere. plained. I may also provide means for 11miting the amount of side movement of the flexible sup ort, thesregulating the distance I the fan Will travel in each direction during oscillation. Where it is desired that the axis of the fan. blades be tilted from a substantially horizontal position as in a downward direction. I provide means for compensating the leverage action of the fan blades upon the air with respect to the bending movement of the flexible support to compensate for the gyroscopic and paddle wheel action of the tan that occurs under such ciroumstances.

. My invention further contemplates certain novel details of improvement and arrangcmerit of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein,

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of an oscillating electric fan embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a horizontal-section. on the line 2, '2, in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a detail side view showing the connection between the fan casing and the flexible support, Fig. A is a scction on the line 4, 4, in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detail plan View of the base for the fan.

Frlimilar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The fan 1 may be of any well known type port which may be made of steel, brass, or-

the like, preferably springdilre, which is attached at its upper end to the lower part of the motor casing 1, and is pivotally supported at its lower part so as to be free to bend between its-pivo-t-ami the motor-casing. In the drawing 1 have shown the flexible, support 2 attached at its lower' cnd to a rotative tube 3 supported upon ball bear: ings indicated generally at 4, 5, carried by a base'6. As shown, the tube 3 has a plug 3 detachably connected therewitb,.. as by screw threads, the lower end of the support 2 being secured to said plug, whe-rebysaidsupport may be readily detached from its bearings, the cones 4, 5 being shown attached to the tube 3 and ,the cups 4*, 5* being shown attached to'a' tube 7 that is removably attached to the base 6, as by means of screw threads 8. The tubes 3 and 7 and the ball bearings as shown are a convenient means forrotatively supporting the flexible support 2 at its lower part while giving freedom to said support to bend laterally, and the tube 3 is also a convenient means for supporting adjustable stops or.

during operation. v 1 The base 6, which may be in the nature of a flat plate or frame, is provided with adjustable feet or screws 11, 11", 11 which are preferably set at the angles of an equilateral triangle,the support 2 being preferably located at the center of such triangle, and said;

base may be tilted with respect to the horizontal by operating the rearward screw, whereby the-support 2 may be tilted With respect to the vertical to move the vertical or pivotal line of rotation of support 2 more or less at an angle to the vertical.

.At 12 are electric conductors preferably in the form of a coiled spring wire, serving the double function of conveying the electric current to the motor and; acting as springs to assistin regulating the oscillation of the fan, which conductors 12 are,shown attached at one. end to the base 6, as;to binding posts or the like 13, to whichline wires 14 lead, and .at the other ends said conductors 12' are to be connected with the field magnets and armature of the motor, and are shown At 2 is a flexible sup-' and then on the other.- At 26 is insulation inclosing the tube 7 to prevent short circuiting of the conductors 12 through the. metal parts.

From the foregoing description it is to be assumed that the lane of the fan blades is substantially paral el with the slightly tilted vertical axis of support 2. If it is desired to direct the air currents from the fan blades downward by further'tilting the blades with respect to the vertical the fan may beadjusted upon the screw 2. that connectsthe lug 1 of the fan casing with the flexible support 2, thus tilting the axis of shaft 1 with respectto the vertical axis of support 2, but in such case a new force is introduced tendin con tinuously to cause the fan to revolve in one direction and interfering with 'the reaction alternately to one side and to the other of the vertical pivot, strengthening the reaction on one side and weakening it on the other. To compensate such action the screw 9 could be adjusted nearer toward the support 2, but as a convenient means and to avoidthe necessity of adj ustin said screw each time the fan is adjusted wit respect to the support 2 I rovide a curved finger 16, shown projecting from lug 1 into the path of screw 9, which finger is tapered or cam-like as shown in Fig. 4, whereby asthe fan is tilted forwardly on its supporting screw 2 the increasing thickness of the finger 16 will be presented 1n.line with screw 9 to a degree corresponding to the amount of 'tilting of the fan, whereby the amount of bending of the support 2 to one side of the vertical will be regulated and limited as more fully hereinafter explained.

The operation of the fan above described is as foliowsz-In the first place if base 6 were placed in a horizontal position and the axis of shaft 1 were horizontal and in the same vertical iane with the axis of the pivot and the I fan b adescaused to rotate, the air currents from the fan would be projected substan-' tiall. horizontally and oscillation of the fan wou d not occur. To cause the fan to oscillate the rearward screw, as 15*, would be turned so as to tilt the base 6 whereu on-the vertical axis of en port 2 would be inclined slightly forward, tlius tilting the axis of the shaft 1- downwardly slightly. The current now being turned on, the fan will next move slightly, to, say, the ri ht by reason of gyroscopic action more fully hereinafter explained, or the fan may be moved tov one side manually, and, because of the inclination of theisu porting pivot 2 with respect to the vertica the center of gravity of the pivoted oscillation, now causes the an to move back toward the center and up the incline to the left (which incline is caused by the tilting of base 6), but as soon as the'structure passes the center gravity acts to pull the motor over to the right on the ilexible support 2; the fan shaft then moves ,to the right ofthe pivotal axis and the orbital movement is reversed, the fan next moving in the reverse direction, and so on back and forth. The' two adjusting screws 9, 9, are shown to limit the lateral movements of the flexible support 2, but these screws are not essential to the operation of the fan as the support 2 can be made lateral movements of the support. However, I find it advantageous to make the support less rigid and prevent excessive side-' wise movement of the support by the limitin screws 9, 9 which screws may be adjuste( with respect to the su port 2 to control the distance to which the an will oscillate in opposite directions. While I have illustrated the-flexible support 2 in the form of a relatively thin strip, it will be. understood that the particular cross section of such support is not essential to the operation of the fan, as said support could be round or of other crdss section, provided the support be sufiiciently flexibleto permit it to bend from side to side under the'influence of gravity. The oscilla tion may be limited or further controlledby tilting'the base 6 more or less forwardly by operating the screw 11 for the farther forward from the vertical the longitudinal axisof support 2 is adjusted the less .will be the range of oscillatory movement of the fan due to the increasing incline up which the fan structure is caused to travel.

'It has been assumed in the above explanation that the lane of the fan blades was parallel to the slightly tilted vertical axis of the support 2. if, however, it is desired to throw the air current downward by further tilting the blades' forwardly the new force introduced tending to coritinuously'revolve the structure to one side as before explained, will be present. combination of the addle-wheel reaction already familiar in t e'art, and a rotative force resulta nt from the composition of the armature'rotation and-gravity acting on'this inclined rotating masssubstantially in ac cordance with the principle of the composition of rotations familiarly exemplified in the gyroscopic top. It is to off-setthis disturb mg factor that the bending movement of the flexible support 2 is limited on that side This disturbing force is a upon its screw 2 the inclined linger 1.6 pre-.

which is strengthened by said disturbing force, and thus as the, fan is tilted forwardly senting a wider or thickened part between support 2 and screw 9 automatically shortens the space through whichv the structure may move on that side before striking the limiting screw, thus limiting the off center movement on that side proportioned to the extent of dip of the fan blades and the corresponding increase of the rotative force produced because of such dip. Thus the fan may be automatically confined to a substantially predetermined arc of oscillation independent of change in the force acting to produce such oscillation.

While I have illustrated and explained my improvements as operative while the base 6 is beneath the fan structure, it will'be understood that the structure may be inverted so that the fan will hang suspended from the flexible support 2, the bearing for the support 2 being in such osition that said support may be held in a ine inclined to the vertical,

in which case the oscillatory operation of the fan-will substantially accord with the expla-' nation first given.

The spirit level 17. nay be provided on base 6 to indicate the horizonta position of" base 6 between screws 11 and 11 Having now described my invention What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described 1 comprising a fan having a motor and rotative blades, a flexible support attached to the "fan, means for pivotally supporting said support, and means for holding said support at an. angle to the vertical, substantially as de scribed.

2. A device of the character described blades, a sprii. zi-like support attached to the fan, means f rotatively supporting said support, and 2 teams for holding said support at an angle t the vertical, substantia ly' as described.

4. A levice of the character described comprising a fan provided with a motor-and rotative blades, a flexible sup ort attached to the fan, means for pivotal y supporting said support, and means to limit bending of said support in opposite directions, substantially as describe 5. A device of the character described com rising a fan, a spring-like support for the an adapted to bend from side to side under the influence of the bodily movements of.

the fan, and means for pivotally supporting said support, substantially as described. 7

6. A device of the character described 'tially, as described.

ported to rotate on its longitudinal axis and capable of bending in opposite directions with respect to said axis, and a fan connected with said support, substantially as described. 7. Adeviceof the character described comprising a flexible member, a pivot at one end of said member, and a ,fan and motor connected with the other end of said member, substantially as described.

8. A device of the character described comprising a fan and its motor, a member connected therewith capable of side movement in opposite directions, and a pivotal support for said member-at a distance from the fan, whereby the fan and motor may oscillate on the longitudinal axis of said memher and also move {rom side to side with respect to said pivota support, substantially as described.

9: A device of the character described comprising a f an and motor, a movable member attached thereto and extendingdowhwardly beneath the same, and a pivot for said movable member located at a distance beneath the fan, whereby said movable memher and f an may have movement from side to side during operation with respect to a vertical line also osci late on said pivot, substantially as described. i L

. 10. A device of the character described comprismg a motor driven fanfmeansfor sup orting the same so that it may oscillate,

a p urality of coiled spring conductors connected to the terminals of the fan motor, and a stationary member comprised in saidsupporting means to which the opposite ends of said conductors are attached to assist in cans: ing oscillation of the fan, substantially as described.

. 11. A device of the character described comprising a motor driven fan, a flexible support therefor, means for sustaining said support, a plurality of coiled spring conductors each attached at one end to the fan motor, anda stationary member to which the opposite ends of said s rings are attached, substantially as descrilied.

12. A device of the. character described;

comprising a motor driven fan, means for supporting the fan so it may oscillate, a .pl'ura 1 and a stationary part to which opposite ends of said conductors are attached, substan- 13. A device of the character described comprising a motor driven fan, a movable support therefor, a bearing for said support concentric therewith to permit thesupport to oscillate during operation, a support for said bearing andmeans for holding said movable sup ort-at an angle to the vertical, substantial y as described.

assing through the pivot and may U 14. 'A deyice of the character described comprising'afan', a movable support for the fan, a bearing for said iport to ermit the sup, ort to oscillate, av ase carrying said bearing and means for adjusting said movaid-1e su port at 'a desired angle with respect te the vertical, substantially as described.

15. A *lQVlCQ of the character described comprising a fan, a flexiblesu port connected with the fan, tubeinc osing said support and rigidly attached to said support at a distance from thefan, and bearing for the tube, substantially as describe I 16. A device of the character described- -'ccmpri sini a fan, a flexible su port connected with, the farm, a tube inc osing said support and rigidly attached to said support at a distance from the fan, a bearing for the tube, and means for holding said tube and 2t sup crtiin an inclined position Withrespect to -t 'e vertical, substantially as described.

-17. A device of the charreter described I comprising a fan, a flexible support connected: therewith, a tube inclosing said sup-v V I port, means tc rigidly connect the tube with "said support at a distance from the fan permittingithesu port to have side movement within said tu e, substantially as described? 18'. A- device of -the character described- 3ojcomprising a fan, a flexible support'con-' irected therewith, a tube inclosing said support, means to rigidly,connect the tube with said support at a distance from the fan per-.

mitting the-support to have side movement. Within-said tube, a base, and means for pivotally sup orting the tube upon the base,

su'bstantia y as described.

19. A device of the character described comprising a fan, a flexible support con- 4 o nected therewith, a tube inclosing said support, means to rigid y connect the tube with said support at a distance from the fan permitting the support to have side movement within said tube, a base, means for pivotally supporting the tube upon the base, and means for adjustin said base at an an le with res set to the horizontal, substantially as descri ed. v

20. A device of the character described comprising a motor driven fan, a flexible supportconnected therewith. a tube inclosing' .said support, a base upon which said tube is pivotal ring conductors connecting sa d base with t e terminals of the fan,'substantially as described.

" 21. A device'of the character described comprising a fan, a flexible support attached thereto means for pivotally supporting said y supported, and a plurality of coiled "support, meanslfor. movably connecting the its support during operation, substantially as described.

22. -A'device of the character described comprising a fan, a flexible support attached thereto, means for adjustably connecting the fan with said support, means for ivotally supporting said-support, a cam-1i e,finger connected with the fan and located adjacent to said sup ort, and a stop to co-act with said finger fiir regulating the side movement of the su port to compensate for the adjustment of the {an shaft with respect to the support, substantially as described.

23. A device of the character described comprising a motor-driven electric fan and a pivoted flexible support therefor located at an angle to the vertical, and the fan-supportingend of said flexible support being con- 'structed and arranged to move to one side or the other of the axis of rotation of said pivoted flexible support, whereby the fan is caused to oscillate, substantially as described.

' 24. A device of the character described comprising a fan, a base, means for pivotally supporting the fan upon the base, and a plura ity of coiled springs making electrical connection between parts of the structure, one of which .parts'has movement relatively to the other said springs being firmly connected with a stationary art of the structure, substantially as described.

25. A device of the character described comprisinga fan, a base, means for pivotally su porting the fan upon the base, and a pluraity of coiled springs 'making electrical connection between a mo'vablewpart and a stationary part of the structure said springs be ing connected with a stationary part of the structure, substantially'as descri ed.

- 26. The combination with an oscillating electric fan, and a base, of a spiral spring conductor connected with said fan and base, and another conductor connected 'with the fan.

27. The combination of a fan and its motor, and means for pivotally sustaining the same, with a spring connecting the pivoted structure with a stationary part; for roducing reaction to the movement of sai structure upon its pivot said spring being included in the circuit of the motor.

HERBERT STANLEY BROWN. Witnesses:

T. F. BoURNE, M. HOLLINGSHEAD. 

